1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gas lubricated bearings. More particularly, it relates to the provision of an improved gas lubricated bearing of a type comprising a load supporting spherical ball and a single gas distribution ring for providing a bearing seat and for supplying a lubricating gas film between the ball and the seat.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One known type of gas lubricated bearing comprises a large diameter steel ball and a single gas distribution ring which surrounds a lower portion of the ball. The inner annular surface of the ring is lapped or otherwise machined to provide a bearing seat which matches the curvature of the ball. The ring is formed to include a plurality of gas delivery orifices which are directed to discharge against the ball.
A disadvantage of this type of known gas lubricated bearing is that for many loads it requires the use of a relatively large diameter ball. For example, in spacecraft control test vehicle suspensions wherein the ball is a part of a support for a model spacecraft or the like which is being tested, the loads encountered sometimes make it necessary to use a ball as large as sixteen inches (16") in diameter. Steel balls of this size are not commercially available and must be specially manufactured. Also, either a very large ball or very high float pressures are necessary to sustain a large vertical gravity load from a heavy model on a conventional gas spherical bearing.
Ball type gas lubricated bearings which can be found in the patent literature are disclosed by the following U.S. patents: No. 2,998,999 granted Sept. 5, 1961, to Calvin S. Morser, Robert E. Maloney and Conrad H. Benoit; No. 3,005,666, granted Oct. 26, 1961 to Calvin S. Morser, Robert E. Maloney and Conrad H. Benoit; No. 3,308,848, granted Mar. 14, 1967, to Harold I. Johnson and Orrin A. Wobig; No. 3,314,336, granted Apr. 18, 1967, to Bernard Jorgji; No. 3,380,788, granted Apr. 30, 1968, to Donald F. Wilcock; No. 3,455,155, granted July 15, 1969 to Myron L. Greenberg and Daniel J. Kolesar; and No. 3,537,324, granted Nov. 3, 1970, to John L. Evans.